The US actors' union, SAG-AFTRA, announced that its members have unanimously decided to join the writers' strike, a move that threatens to disrupt Hollywood productions in the near future. Both writers and actors are demanding higher wages and safeguards against the use of artificial intelligence, among other things. This decision came after the union and major film and television studios failed to reach an agreement on a new contract.
They are joining members of the Writers Guild of America, who went on strike on May 2nd after failing to reach an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), a group representing studios such as Disney, Netflix, Amazon, and Apple.
In a six-minute speech, SAG president, actress Fran Drescher, criticized the "billionaires" who run the major studios and streaming services, stating that they have forgotten about those "who make the machine work."
It is expected that union members will join picket lines on Friday, effectively shutting down production that has continued since the writers' strike began in May. The last time actors and writers went on strike simultaneously was in the 1960s.
Dozens of productions have already come to a halt since the writers went on strike. With the actors' strike, even more delays are anticipated, and some programs may be canceled altogether.